PSY 251: Human Growth and Development
Dr. Nichols
March 10, 2024
Adolescence Biosocial Development
When I started to notice my body was changing, I was eleven years old and in sixth
grade. I noticed that I was growing in many different ways, which created a lot of stress for me,
especially because none of my friends at the time were experiencing the same changes, and I felt
alone even though I had two older sisters I could talk to.
A year or two before I started noticing the changes, I was still in elementary school, in
4th and 5th grades. At this point, I was concerned with hanging out with my best friends on the
weekend or what I would have for dinner. I knew that every day, I would get home from school,
call my mom to tell her that I was home safely, and simultaneously ask if I could go over to my
friend's house or what we were having for dinner. At this point in my life, I was concerned about
whether I would be having fun and what I could do to have fun and enjoy my time. I would
always try to get outside when I had the chance, even if it was just to ride my scooter or go for a
walk around the ponds we had in the neighborhood. Just one year before I started to notice my
body changing, I was never focused on anything too long, and I liked to do anything and
everything I could do; that did not stay the same.
After noticing the changes to my body and my development, I noticed how different
things were becoming important to me. I cared too much about what I looked like, whether I was
thin enough, tall enough, or pretty enough. I would spend whole nights sobbing about the amount
of ance I had and how ugly I felt. I did not care about going out to run around and play, I wanted
